Vaporizing device



Oct. 17, 1967 M. scams VAPORIZING DEVICE Filed April 14, 1965 Michel Boris IN VE N TOR.

Attorney United States Patent Claims The present invention relates to a vaporizing device for use with a container holding a liquid to be dispensed in vapor form by a nozzle assembly operable by pressure produced by the manual displacement of an operating plunger.

When vaporization takes place, a volume of air equal to that of the liquid delivered to the nozzle assembly must be admitted to the container holding the liquid that is to be vaporized. Otherwise, a partial vacuum is produced in the container which prevents the vaporizer from acting properly. However, it is desirable that the container should be air-tight when not in use to prevent the liquid from evaporating or from leaking out if the container should be overturned. To achieve this, a passage can be provided for placing the container in communication with the atmosphere, the opening and closing of which is controlled by a cut-off device linked positively with the operating plunger so as to open when the plunger is operated. However, certain disadvantages might arise with such an arrangement.

It is an object of the invention to provide a vaporizing device which is more satisfactory in operation.

According to the present invention, the container holding the liquid that is to be vaporized is in communication with the atmosphere by way of a passage provided for that purpose, the passage being controlled by a valve normally held on its seat by a restoring spring.

The invention is particularly applicable to an assembly wherein the operating plunger is rigidly attached to, or is integral with, a valve interposed between the container and the nozzle or mixing chamber. This valve is held on its seat, when inoperative, by a restoring spring of the operating plunger, thus making the vaporizer completely air-tight.

If the nozzle is of the mechanical vaporizing type, it sometimes happens, more particularly at the end of the plunger stroke, that the liquid is driven towards the nozzle at too low a pressure for vaporization to take place. In that event, instead of the liquid emerging in vaporized form, it comes out as a jet, or even dribbles out.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a valve normally held on its seat by a biasing spring is fitted between the nozzle and the delivery plunger.

By so arranging the spring loading on this valve that it opens only when the pressure is high enough to ensure vaporization, the emergence of jets or dribbles of liquid is prevented.

Two embodiments of a vaporizing device in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an axial section of one embodiment; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment.

The vaporizing device shown in FIGURE 1 comprises a body 1 arranged for fixing to a container A, holding a liquid that is to be vaporized, so as to form a closure for the container.

The body 1 is integral With a sleeve 1a whose bore extends through the body as indicated at 112 and into which a pump cylinder 2 is force-fitted. The upper end of this cylinder has a flange 2a and the lower end is ex- 3,347,424 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 tended to form a dip-tube 3, a check valve 4 being interposed between the interior of the cylinder 2 and the diptube. A stem 5 of a valve 6 is slidable within the sleeve 1a. The upper portion of the stem 5 is secured to a pushbutton 7 which is free to move within a recess 8 in the body 1. A spring 9, interposed between the base of the recess 8 and the push-button 7, serves to restore the movable assembly to a position in which the valve 6 closes and prevents access to the bore of the sleeve 1a.

The outer diameter of the stem 5 is smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve 1a. The annular-section space 10 thus formed between the stem and the sleeve is in communication, through a conical opening 11, with a chamber 12 in which a mechanical vaporizing nozzle assembly 13 is disposed. A ball 14 is normally held against the opening 11 by nozzle assembly 13.

On a central part 5a of the stem 5 packing rings 16a and 16b separated from each other and held in place by rings 17 between the lower end of the stern and a boss 7a which forms an extension of the pushbutton 7.

A bore 18 in the body 1 is in communication with the interior of the container A by way of a passage 19 and an aperture 20 in the body 1 and the flange 2a, respectively. The bore 18 can also be brought into communication with the recess 8, which is open to the atmosphere, by way of a passage 21 communicating with the chamber through a conical bearing face 22. A ball 23 is normally held by a spring 24 against the face 22, which thus forms a valve seat. Finally, a passage 25 connects the bore 18 to the bore 112 between the toroidal packings 16a and 16b when the push-button 7 is withdrawn into its inoperative position.

In the inoperative position, the spring 9 holds the valve 6 against the end face of sleeve 1a. In addition, the opening 11 and the passage 21 are closed by the balls 14 and 23, respectively. The vaporizer is thus: completely airtight.

When a user depresses the push-button 7, the latter moves downwards, carrying the valve 6 with it. When the button 7 is released, the valve rises under the action of the spring 9, producing a partial vacuum within the pump cylinder 2. Owing to this partial vacuum, some of the liquid in the container A rises into the interior of the cylinder 2 through the tube 3.

The reduction in the volume of liquid in the container A produces a partial vacuum within the container, and this causes the ball 23 to leave its seat and to admit a volume of air equal tothe volume of liquid drawn into the cylinder 2.

When the user depresses the push-button 7 again, the liquid contained in the cylinder 2, which cannot return to the container A because of the check valve 4, is driven into the annular-section space 10 by the descent of the valve 6 and its stem 5, which constitute a plunger. The liquid then passes through the opening 11, displacing the valve 14 from its seat, and is delivered to the nozzle 13 which vaporizes it.

At the end of the stroke of the push-button, the delivery pressure drops so that the valve 14 is restored to its seat by the spring 15. vaporization ceases abruptly, without the liquid being able to emerge in either jet or droplet form. The closing of the opening 11 also prevents air from entering the pump cylinder 2 by way of the nozzle 13.

Should the device be overturned and a few drops of liquid manage to get past the packing ring 16a, they will beheld back by the packing ring 16b and will return to the container A through the passage 25 and the chamber 18.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, the push-butare two toroidal a spring 15 which bears against the ton 7 is fitted with a lipped packing ring 26. Hence, when the push-button is depressed, the air contained in the chamber 8 is driven through the chamber 18 into the container A. The resultant increased pressure in the container assists the rise of liquid into the pump cylinder 2. In addition, there is no passage 25, and the toroidal packing rings 16a and 16b are replaced by a single packing 160. The peripheral lip of ring 26 enables, in the usual manner, a leakage of atmospheric air into the chamber 8 when the push-button 7 is moved upwardly by its restoring spring 9.

When the valve 23 is provided (as in FIGURE 1) vaporaziation, instead of being mechanical, may be produced by compressed air supplied by a piston-and-cylin der unit, the movable member of which is linked to pressbutton 7.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A vaporizing device for use with a container holding a liquid to be dispensed therefrom in vapor form, comprising:

a body provided with an annular recess, a central axial bore, a passage communicating with said recess and said container, and a lateral bore,

a pump cylinder secured to the body and aligned with the axial bore,

a pump plunger axially movable within the cylinder and within the axial bore,

manually operable piston means secured to said pump plunger and movable into said recess for generating air pressure in said passage and actuating said plunger,

a spring biasing said piston means out of the recess,

a vaporizing nozzle assembly mounted in the lateral bore,

a tubular extension secured to the pump cylinder and arranged to dip into liquid in the container,

a check valve operable to block communication between the container and the interior of the cylinder,

at spring-biased valve in the passage serving normally to prevent communication through the passage between the container and the atmosphere but permitting such communication when the pressure in the container is below atmospheric pressure, and

a further spring-biased valve operable to block communication between the interior of the cylinder and the nozzle assembly when the pressure of the liquid therein falls below a value suflicient to effect vaporization in the nozzle assembly.

2. A vaporizing device for use with a container holding a liquid to be dispensed therefrom in vapor form, comprising:

a body provided with an annular recess, a central axial bore, a passage and a lateral bore,

a pump cylinder secured to the body and aligned with the axial bore,

a pump plunger axially movable within the cylinder and within the axial bore,

a push-button secured to said pump plunger and movable into said recess to actuate the plunger,

a spring biasing the push-button out of the recess,

a vaporizing nozzle assembly mounted in the lateral bore,

a tubular extension secured to the pump cylinder and arranged to dip into liquid in the container,

a check valve operable to block communication be tween the container and the interior of the cylinder,

a sealing member secured to the push-button bearing against the wall of the recess and effective to increase air pressure within the recess on depressing the push-button,

a spring-biased valve in the passage which opens, when the air pressure in the recess reaches a predetermined value, to supply air under pressure to the interior of the container through said passage, and

a further spring-biased valve operable to block communication between the interior of the cylinder and the nozzle assembly when the pressure of the liquid therein falls below a value sufficient to effect vaporization in the nozzle assembly.

3. A vaporizing device for use with a container holding a liquid to be dispensed therefrom in vapor form, comprising:

a body provided with a throughgoing bore, a passage and an outlet communicating with said bore,

a pump cylinder secured to said body and aligned with said bore, said passage leading from a region in the vicinity of said cylinder to an air space at substantially atmospheric pressure,

a pump plunger axially movable within said cylinder and within said bore,

a push-button secured to said pump plunger and movable with respect to the body along the axis of said cylinder to actuate the plunger,

means including said push-button for generating air pressure in said passage,

biasing means urging said push-button away from said body,

a vaporizing nozzle assembly mounted in said outlet,

a tubular extension secured to the pump cylinder and arranged to dip into liquid in the container,

a check valve operable to block communication between the container and the interior of said cylinder, and

spring-loaded valve means in said passage serving normally to prevent communication through the passage between the container and said air space but permitting such communication upon the pressure in the container dropping below atmospheric pressure.

4. A vaporizing device as defined in claim 3, further comprising a spring-biased valve in said outlet operable to block communication between the interior of the cylinder and said nozzle assembly upon the pressure of the liquid in said cylinder dropping below a value sufiicient to effect vaporization in the nozzle assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 804,009 11/1905 Howland 222-385 X 1,517,932 12/1924 Aftergut 222--385 X 1,845,200 2/1932 Segal 239357 2,035,599 3/1936 Florman. 2,885,121 5/1959 Littleton 222--385 X 2,982,443 5/1961 Ellis 222401 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

1. A VAPORIZING DEVICE FOR USE WITH A CONTAINER HOLDING A LIQUID TO BE DISPENSED THEREFROM IN VAPOR FORM, COMPRISING: A BODY PROVIDED WITH AN ANNULAR RECESS, A CENTRAL AXIAL BORE, A PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECESS AND SAID CONTAINER, AND A LATERAL BORE, A PUMP CYLINDER SECURED TO THE BODY AND ALIGNED WITH THE AXIAL BORE, A PUMP PLUNGER AXIALLY MOVABLE WITHIN THE CYLINDER AND WITHIN THE AXIAL BORE, MANUALLY OPERABLE PISTON MEANS SECURED TO SAID PUMP PLUNGER AND MOVABLE INTO SAID RECESS FOR GENERATING AIR PRESSURE IN SAID PASSAGE AND ACTUATING SAID PLUNGER, A SPRING BIASING SAID PISTON MEANS OUT OF THE RECESS, A VAPORIZING NOZZLE ASSEMBLY MOUNTED IN THE LATERAL BORE, A TUBULAR EXTENSION SECURED TO THE PUMP CYLINDER AND ARRANGED TO DIP INTO LIQUID IN THE CONTAINER, A CHECK VALVE OPERABLE TO BLOCK COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CONTAINER AND THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDER, A SPRING-BIASED VALVE IN THE PASSAGE SERVING NORMALLY TO PREVENT COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE PASSAGE BETWEEN THE CONTAINER AND THE ATMOSPHERE BUT PERMITTING SUCH COMMUNICATION WHEN THE PRESSURE IN THE CONTAINER IS BELOW ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, AND A FURTHER SPRING-BIASED VALVE OPERABLE TO BLOCK COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDER AND THE NOZZLE ASSEMBLY WHEN THE PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID THEREIN FALLS BELOW A VALVE SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT VAPORIZATION IN THE NOZZLE ASSEMBLY. 